SaFi Protocol, a DeFi renewable energy financier, emerged as the winner of the Africa Money & DeFi Summit investment showcase, which took place at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra, Ghana. The event, sponsored by NODO, recognized SaFi Protocol's innovative approach in tokenizing qualified real-world clean energy projects to address the global liquidity gap in the energy sector.

With the utilization of decentralized finance (DeFi), SaFi Protocol is revolutionizing the renewable energy industry by providing stable yields and competitive risk-adjusted returns. Their groundbreaking strategy tackles the significant funding deficit of $1 billion faced by renewable energy startups in Africa and Southeast Asia, hindering their growth.

During the investment showcase held on October 3rd and 4th, 2023, SaFi Protocol stood out as the leading venture among nine pioneering startups from across the African continent. The participating startups, including Hurupay, Save App, Coinazer, PAL, SaFi Protocol, VerifiBuy, BluPay, One Chain Africa, and PayBox, presented their solutions, market size, traction, and growth trajectory during 5-minute pitch sessions. Their presentations were evaluated by a panel of judges, which included Isaac Newton Acquah, National Project Coordinator for Ghana at the International Trade Centre, William Phelps, Investment Manager at Adaverse, Yvonne Okafor, Co-Founder at A&A Collective, and Sowmya Raghavan, the Head of Product at NODO.

Raghavan commended SaFi Protocol for its commitment to developing sustainable energy projects in emerging markets. “Through the innovative utilization of community-driven Web 3 and DeFi, Safi Protocol’s approach exemplifies a model that not only benefits communities today but pushes for stronger equity in sustainable capital allocation,” she remarked.

As the winner, SaFi Protocol will be awarded a grant of $1,000. George Mosomi, the co-founder and chief operating officer of SaFi Protocol, explained the significance of the investment showcase, highlighting particularly the invaluable exposure and connection opportunities it provided. "The grant will play a pivotal role in expediting our research and development endeavors, as well as expanding SaFi's reach into new markets. We are fully committed to maximizing this opportunity," Mosomi commented during an interview with NODO.

According to Mosomi, securing this victory serves as a testament to SaFi's shared vision of becoming the largest neo-green bank in emerging markets and Africa. “The showcase brought SaFi protocol to the forefront, solidifying our position as a pivotal player in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, geared towards the medium-scale solar sector,” he said. “This grant will not only augment our operational capabilities but also drive us closer to our goal of revolutionizing green financing in emerging regions, ensuring that sustainable energy solutions are accessible to all.”

"As for the grant, it's more than just financial assistance. It represents an opportunity, a responsibility, and trust," asserted Mosomi. He explained that it would be useful in accelerating SaFi Protocol’s research and development initiatives, expanding their outreach efforts, and solidifying partnerships that can expedite their goals.